MetroTweet

DC Metrorail Alerts in Twitter

[Update 1/4/09: After an extended outage because of technical glitches, MetroTweet is up and running again. My apologies for the outage and my thanks for your patience.]

MetroTweet offers a simple, but hopefully very useful service: it relays service alerts for the Metrorail subway system in the Washington, DC area to Twitter. You can already get these alerts on Metro’s web site, and by email through their eAlerts system, but MetroTweet provides another, and potentially easier, way to get updates on Metrorail service.

How Do I Use It?

It’s pretty simple: simply follow one or more of the following Twitter users, depending on the line(s) you’re interested in:

Frequently Asked Questions*

* Actually, none of these questions have been asked frequently, but over time you’d think this is what people would ask about.

Is it possible to get updates at only certain times of day (like rush hour)?

While the eAlerts system does allow you to specify the days and times you’re interested in receiving alerts, MetroTweet is an all-or-nothing proposition. The convenience of getting service alerts in your Twitter feed should (hopefully) outweigh the inconvenience of getting alerts at other times.

What about other microblogging services, like Plurk, identi.ca, etc.?

MetroTweet is focused on Twitter for the time being given its large user base and mature AP. MetroTweet may expand to other services in the future, depending on user demand and technical capabilities.

How does MetroTweet work?

MetroTweet uses some very simple Perl code to convert the eAlert messages into tweets. It uses the Net::Twitter module to post the updates on Twitter.

Who created MetroTweet?

Contact

Compliments? Complaints? Suggestions? Other questions? Email Jeff at jfoust [at] alum.mit.edu, or contact him on Twitter.

DISCLAIMER

MetroTweet is an unofficial service neither affiliated with nor endorsed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). This content is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Contact WMATA directly for official, updated information regarding Metrorail service status.